Electbjcc-volume indicator fob tanks



1. A. VOSIKA ELECTRlC VOLUME INDICATOR FOR TANKS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE21'. Km.

1 3 1 6, 34 1 Patented Sept. 16, 1919.

Th/Dun I01 James A .Vcrsfka attozmeq I JAM-ES A. vosIxA', or onrvra,mnvnnso'rn.

nnncrnrcwonumn INDICATOR. FOR 'r'lmxs.

Spebification of Letters Yatent. Patented Sept, 16, 1919.

Application filed June 27, 1917. Serla11i'o, 177,341-.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. VOSIKA, a Citizen of the United States, anda resident of Olivia, in the county of Renville and Stateof Minnesota,have invented 'a certain new and useful Improvement in Electric-Volume"Indicators for Tanks, of which the following .is a specification.

\The present invention relates to indicators, of the type adaptedparticularly for attachment to fuel tanks of automobiles, motor boatsand the like.-

An object of the present invention is to provide an indicator of thischaracter which may be attached to an ordinary tank; and which embodiesan electric circuit and means for normally opening the circuitltoecono-- mize in the consumption of electric energy. The invention alsoaims at the provision of an indicator attachment comprising butrelatively few parts which are so constructed that they may be easilyapplied to the tanks and to the body portion of the vehicle or the like,and which occupy but relatively small space.

The above, and various other objects and advantages of this inventionwill be in part described, and in part understood, from the followingdetailed description of the present preferred embodiment, the same beingillus trated in the accompanying drawing wherein Figure 1 is a sideelevation of a motor vehicle having the attachment of this inventionapplied thereto, the vehicle being disclosed in outline.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section, enlarged, of

the fuel tank of the vehicle and the attach ment applied thereto.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section, taken in a plane indicated by the line3-3 in Fig. 2, through a portion of the indicator attachment.

Fig. 4 is'a fragmentary enlarged-sectlon taken on the plane indicated bythe line 1% in Fig. 2, showing the contact brush in engagement with oneof the contact segments.

Referring to this drawing. A designates the body of a motor vehicleor-the like which is provided with a fuel tank B mounted in any suitableposition thereon, such as at the rear end of the body as shown in Fig.1, and which is provided with an instrument board C.

This invention comprises a circuit-controllin device in the form of acasing or housin; 10 which may be of cylindrical contour,

and which is provided with attaching brackets 11 adapted to be securedupon the upper wall of the tank B, and about an opening 12- formed inthe tank. The casing or housing 10 is provided with a bottom 13 suitablysecured in the casing 10, and to the upper face I of which is secured aninsulating plate of mica, or the like, l i'adapted to carry. a disk 15of fiber, or the like. The fiber disk 15 is provided n its upper facewith a circular row of sultably spaced-apart apertures receivin-gtherein stems 16 depending from segmental contact plates 17, the'latterbeing arranged in a circular row near the marginal edge of the disk 15,and having their opposite end portions closely spaced apart. The vsegmental plates 17 are electrically connected in series by anumber of.resistance coils 18', the latter preferably extending inwardly from theplates 17 and resting upon the top of the fiber disk 16. An endsegmental plate 19 is arranged in the row of the plates 17 and has noelectrical connection with the plates 17 to provide a zero contact orrest.-

. The plate 19 is arranged at one end of the row of plates, and theplate 17 at the opposite end of the row is connected by wire 20 to abinding post 21 which extends throughv the adjacent side of the casing10.

A shaft 22 is rotatably mounted in the bottom 13, and extends upwardlytherethrough and through the disk 15. A radially extend ing arm or sweep23 preferably of hard rubjher, is mounted on the upper end of the shaftY22 and overhangs at its free end the circular row of plates 17 and 19.The outer end of the arm 23 is provided with a vertically extendingbushing 24:, in the lower end of which is slidably mounted a contactbrush of carbon or the like, as indicated at 25. The

brush 25 is yieldingly depressed against the plates 17 and 19 by aspring 26 located in the upper end of the bushing 24 and held undertension against the brush 25 by a leaf spring 27 which is secured to theupper end of the bushing 2 1 at one extremity, and which is' pivotallymounted at its inner end upon a binding post 28 mounted in the top ofthe casing 10, and in axial alinement with the shaft 22. The shaft 22,the arm 23, and the leaf spring 27 are adapted to turn as a unit.

A hearing bracket 29 is secured to the underside of the bottom 13, andprojects downwardly throughthc opening 12 in the tank.

The bracket 29 ispreferably formed from'a strip of metal whichissuitably bent and and vertically spaced apart ears 30 which areapertured and form bearings for the lower end of the shaft 22. A bevelgear wheel 31 is fixed to the lower end of the shaft 22, and meshes witha correspondingly formed. bevel gear wheel 32 which is fixed upon afloat shaft 33 supported in the lower end of the bracket 29. The lowerend of the bracket 29 is bent laterally, and is provided with a pair ofhorizontally spaced-apart cars 34 which are apertured and form bearingsfor the shaft 33. The shaft 33 is provided with a float rod 35 upon thelower end of which is mounted a float 36, the latter being adapted toengage in the liquid contents of the tank B and to rise and fall withthe surface level of the liquid contents.

The rise and fall of the float 36 rotates the float shaft 33, and bymeans of the gear wheels 31 and 32, rotates the shaft 22. When the shaft22 is turned, the arm 23 wipes over the contact plates 19 and 17, andcarries the movable contact or brush 25 over the segments tocontrol theclosing of the resistance coils 18in circuit with the wire 20.

An indicator 37 of any approved type, may be mounted on the instrumentboard C of the motor vehicle, or the like, and connected by circuitwires 41 and, 41-2 to the rheostat.

source of current, is interposed in the circuit whose current may beregulated by use of the rheostat of this invention.

- In operation,'when thecontact brush rests upon the insulated plate orsegment 19, no current will flow through the wires 41 and 12, and thecircuit will be maintained open. If, however, the contact brush 25 restsupon one of the segmental plates 17, the current will flow through thewires 41 3 and 42, through the binding posts 21 and 28,

and through the leaf spring 27, bushing 24,

and brush 25, to the adjacent contact plate 17. The circuit is completedthrough said contact plate'17 and theadjacent resistance coils 18 whichare interpos'ed'between the said contact plate and the wire, 20. It willbe thus observed that the resistance set up by the coils 18 will controlcurrent and'the operation of the instrument '37.

It, is of course understood that various changes and modifications maybe made in the details of the above-specifically described embodiment ofthis invention without departing from the spirit thereof, and beingrestricted only by the scope of the following claims:

1. In an electric indicator, the combination of a casing, a circular rowof spaced contacts arranged within the casing, resistance elementsconnecting the contacts, a lead connected to one end of the row ofcontacts, a sweep arm pivoted in the casing for trav- A battery 43, orany suitable of contacts, resistance elements connecting the row ofcontacts to the exclusion of said end contact, a sweep arm fortraversing all of said contacts, a'wiping contact mounted on the armadapted to engage one at-a time all of said contacts, and a second leadconnected to the wiping contact for closing a circuit through thevariable resistance of the row of contacts and adapted to engage saidseparate contact for maintaining the circuit open.

3. In an electric indicator, the combination of a casing, a spindlemounted vertically in the casing, means for'turning the spindle, acircular row of spaced contacts arranged concentric about the spindle, azero contact arranged at one end of the row of contacts, resistanceelements connecting the row of contacts to the exclusion of the zerocontact, a sweep arm mounted on the spindle and comprising electricnon-conducting material, a spring pressed wiping contact mounted in theouter end of the sweep arm adapted to engage over the row of contactsandsaid zero contact, and a second lead connected to the wiping contact,said wiping contact being adapted to'close the circuit through thevariable resistances of the row of spaced contacts, and to maintain thecircuit open when registering with said zero contact.

4. In an electric indicator, the combination of circular easing, aspindle journaled vertically in the casing, means connected to thespindle for turning the same,-a sweep arm mounted on the upper end ofthe spindle within the casing, a circular row of spaced contacts fixedin the casing concentric to the spindle, a wiping contact carried uponthe sweep arm and adapted to traverse the spaced contacts, resistanceelements connects ing the contacts of the row, a lead connected to therow of contracts at one end thereof, an

arm pivoted to the top of the casing co-axial with the spindle andconnected at its outer connecting the contacts, a lead connected to therow of contacts at one end thereof, a second lead connected to andarranged coaxial with the spindle for said wiping contact, and a zerocontact arranged at the end of the row remote from said first leadadapted to engage the wiping contact for maintaining the circuit open. 7

6. In an electric indicator, the combination of a casing, a bracketdepending from the casing, a spindle journaled vertically in the bracketand the casing, operating means mounted on the bracket and connected tothe spindle for turning the same, a sweep arm mounted on the upper endof the spindle within the casing, a circular row of spacedcontacts'arranged in the casing concentric to the spindle, a wipingcontact carried by the sweep arm adapted to traverse the con tacts,resistance elements connecting: the contacts, a lead connected to thecontacts at one end of the row thereof, a second lead connected to thewiping contact, a zero contact arranged at the end of the row ofcontacts remote from said first lead forengagement with the wipingcontact to maintain the circuit open, and means for yieldingly urgingthe wiping contact against the fixed contacts in the casing.

JAMES A, VOSIKA.

